Mineshaft Pensioned From Stud Duty at 26

Lane's End Farm's homebred 2003 Horse of the Year and champion older male Mineshaft has been retired from stud duty, the farm announced April 14. The son of A.P. Indy is 26. The stallion is in excellent health and will be pensioned at the farm, according to Lane's End. "Mineshaft is a tremendous horse in all aspects—a champion racehorse and a top sire. We are so pleased that he is retiring from stud in wonderful health and will enjoy a long retirement at his birthplace," said Bill Farish, president of Lane's End. "Mineshaft means so much to our family and to the farm. When he arrived home at Lane's End following his retirement from racing, literally everyone on the farm gathered at the stallion barn to celebrate his accomplishments and to welcome him home. He is a very special horse." Lane's End founder William S. Farish and longtime partners James A. Elkins Jr. and W. Temple Webber Jr. bred and raced Mineshaft. He was the fifth and last foal produced by multiple grade 1 winner Prospectors Delite, whose foals all became black-type stakes winners. Mineshaft is a full brother to multiple grade 1 winner Tomisue's Delite, who also ran second in the 1997 Kentucky Oaks (G1), and to grade 3-placed stakes winner Rock Slide. Mineshaft started his racing career in England under the tutelage of trainer John Gosden during Farish's tenure as United States ambassador to the United Kingdom. He started his racing career at 3, becoming a winner in his second start and going on to place in a group 3 stakes in France. The colt was sent to the U.S. in the fall of 2002 and immediately showed an affinity for dirt racing. He ended his sophomore campaign with consecutive wins at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. At 4, Mineshaft was nearly unbeatable with trainer Neil Howard. He won seven of nine starts in 2003 and was second twice. He captured his first grade 1 in the Pimlico Special Handicap (G1) and followed with a loss by a head to Perfect Drift in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1). He would not suffer another loss, stringing together consecutive wins in the Suburban Handicap (G1), Woodward Stakes (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). Mineshaft developed a displaced ankle chip and a couple of other minor injuries after the Jockey Club Gold Cup that forced his retirement. He stepped away from racing with a 10-3-1 record from 18 starts and earned $2,283,402. With A.P. Indy a fixture among North America's top five leading sires, and the leading sire in 2006, Mineshaft commanded a $100,000 fee his first four years at stud. When his first crop turned 3, he was represented by Peter Pan Stakes (G2) winner Casino Drive; Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Cool Coal Man, who was also third in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1); and stakes winner Coal Play, who was second in the Haskell. He would later sire grade 1 winners Effinex, It's Tricky, True Timber, Dialed In, Discreetly Mine, Weep No More, Bondholder, and most recently, 2024 Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador. Watch: Senor Buscador Starts Stud Career at Lane's End Senor Buscador, who retired with seven wins from 23 starts and earnings of nearly $13 million, entered stud at Lane's End this year. He stands for $7,500. To date, Mineshaft has sired 20 crops that include 63 black-type winners worldwide and 24 graded/group winners. His progeny have earned nearly $101.5 million and average $103,354 per starter.